GarthBox

The path forward is wrought with answers to questions we don’t want to hear.

It has hundreds or thousands or millions of people who aren’t interested in what you have to offer.

The path forward is going to feel uncomfortable, and at times, might even hurt.

But the path forward is also packed with feelings of fulfillment and generosity.

It has a few that will come to rely on what you offer and support you along your path forward.

The path forward is a magical thing, but requires us to take a step, day after day to be on it.

The moment we stop moving, we stop being on the path forward.

Stay Positive & Step Again, Again, Again

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There’s no point in arguing.

It’s cheaper to say, “here’s a refund.”

There’s a time cost in arguing and if the argument goes up a chain, wasted time becomes exponential.

There’s an emotional cost in arguing. With only so much willpower on reserve each day, we make more careless decisions after we’ve expelled our willpower arguing.

There’s a mental cost in arguing. More time spent with a glass half empty mindset means there’s less time spent with a glass half full mentality.

Stay Positive & Cut Costs By Walking Away

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Take the chicken out of the marinade too soon and you forfeit all the flavor.

Let is soak for too long and you might as well drink right from the container.

All good things get made in that space between too early and too late.

Where’s your work at? Have you started? Have you sat on it for awhile?

The only way to know if it’s too soon or too late is to ship it.

Then learn, rinse and repeat.

Stay Positive & Mmm Progress

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There are plenty of people who can do graphic design the same way you can.

There are those who can nanny just the same and perform surgery and pitch the heck out of a deck.

There are organizations that do the same work, too. There are agencies that follow the same processes and non-profits with the same tactics.

Throughout the day, what makes the difference in the work is the energy you bring into it.

People notice, respect and appreciate when you show more excitement in the work than someone who can do the same.

Stay Positive & Do They Know You’re A Geek About What You Do?

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When it comes to being remarkable, it’s more than the quality of service or product value.

It’s making it easy to share the story.

It’s positioning yourself so the one sharing isn’t as responsible if the friend they talk to about you has a bad experience (but still responsible enough if they have a good experience).

It’s being ready to handle an influx of customers or clients.

It’s about not needing a rewards program, but having one because it’s a separate story to tell.

All of these things … they’re hard, but they’re the playing field that brands who stand for quality (rather than price or speed) are battling on.

Stay Positive & What Makes Your Brand Remarkable?

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Everything you’ve done so far for your brand has been about making a promise, keeping a promise or breaking a promise.

At the start, you promised to meet expectations that people have of your kind of brand going forward. A bank is expected to be trustworthy, a bakery is expected to be fresh, a bar is expected to have a selection.

The promises you’ve made and need to keep on top of expectations are ones of worth and delight and connection and community. They’re of making the right choices when push comes to shove. They’re of mitigating risk or maximizing reward.

Alas, there’s the near inevitability of breaking a promise. More often than not, though, is that a promise was broken that you never intended on promising.

When you’re building, it’s important to know what you stand for, who your target is, where the funds are coming from, but just as important (and more forgotten) is to know and communicate what you’re promising, the change you are telling the customer to anticipate, the delight one will experience when they choose you.

It’s about making the promise clear.

Stay Positive & Make It Something Worth Talking About, Too

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At the root of getting people in the door, to sample or to try something is risk and reward.

Some marketing is about mitigating the risk. It’s a free sample, it’s a money-back guarantee and it’s backed by 3 of 4 dentists. For some customers, reducing the risk is what will get them to give your brand a try.

However, some marketing is about magnifying the reward. It’s having something worth sharing with friends, it’s something that brings a treasured memory back or a big dream forward and it makes you feel good.

Risk or reward.

What’s at the root of what you do to get customers?

Stay Positive & A Touch Of Both Works, Too

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